Ghosts on a Wire: The Rise of Fibre-Optic Controlled Combat Drones in Modern Warfare

In the high-stakes theatre of twenty-first-century warfare, few innovations have shifted the strategic and tactical landscape as profoundly as the combat drone. While most attention has centred on wireless communication and autonomous systems, a quieter technological evolution is taking place: the deployment of combat drones tethered by fibre-optic cables. Though less glamorous than their long-range satellite-linked counterparts, these wired drones—nicknamed “ghosts on a wire” by some operators—are revolutionising battlefield surveillance, precision strikes, and electronic warfare in environments where jamming, spoofing, and electromagnetic chaos reign supreme.

The Problem of Electronic Warfare

As modern battlefields become saturated with electronic warfare (EW) tools, maintaining secure and stable communications with drones has become an increasingly difficult task. Russia, China, Iran, and NATO countries alike have developed sophisticated systems capable of GPS jamming, signal spoofing (transmitting fake signals to airborne ordnance to cause them to travel in directions different from the directions of their operators), and disruption of radio frequencies. In Ukraine, for instance, entire drone swarms have been rendered inoperable by Russian EW interference, while Ukrainian forces have adapted by rapidly iterating drone technology to overcome these defences.

Traditional unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which rely on radio or satellite communication, are particularly vulnerable in contested electronic environments. A single jamming burst can cut off the drone’s uplink, sending it crashing to the ground or, worse, hijacking its guidance systems. In this context, fibre-optic tethering provides an elegant, if niche, solution.

What Are Fibre-Optic Drones?

Fibre-optic drones are unmanned aerial or ground-based platforms connected to an operator via an ultra-thin, high-strength cable of optical fibres. This cable transmits data—including high-definition video, thermal imagery, and targeting information—at the speed of light, while also allowing real-time control inputs with near-zero latency. The tether acts as both communications channel and power source, depending on configuration.

This technology is not new. Tethered drones have been used in civilian surveillance and communication relays for years. However their deployment in combat zones, particularly in active kinetic operations, represents a significant evolution. The war in Ukraine has seen the experimental and, increasingly, widespread use of such systems on both sides.

Tactical Advantages

1. Immunity to Jamming

The primary advantage of fibre-optic control is its near-complete immunity to electronic warfare. As the cable transmits signals via light pulses rather than radio waves, it cannot be jammed or spoofed in the conventional sense. This makes the system ideal for high-risk zones where EW saturation is high—such as near frontline Russian positions in the Donbas or along the Black Sea coast.

2. High Bandwidth and Low Latency

Fibre-optic communication allows massive data throughput, supporting real-time transmission of ultra-HD video and sensor data. This makes such drones excellent for artillery spotting, target acquisition, and intelligence gathering—roles where image clarity and split-second timing are essential.

3. Secure and Encrypted Links

The physical tether ensures that communications cannot be intercepted remotely, offering vastly enhanced operational security over conventional drones. In an age where signal interception can compromise entire battalions, this is no small asset.

4. Extended Operational Time

In some designs, the tether also serves as a power line, allowing the drone to operate continuously without battery constraints. This has proven especially valuable for static defence and border monitoring, where drones can hover for hours or days.

Strategic Limitations

Despite these advantages, fibre-optic drones are not without drawbacks. The physical cable imposes significant constraints on range and manoeuvrability. Most tethered drones operate within 1 to 5 kilometres of their control station, although some advanced systems boast cables up to 20km in length. Drones with cables of up to 30km are in the prototype stages of design.

The longer the cable, the more vulnerable it is to physical damage. Shrapnel, debris, or even deliberate targeting ("flying scissors") can sever the line, instantly disabling the drone. In mobile or rapidly shifting combat zones, deploying and retrieving the tether adds logistical complexity.

Another strategic concern is that the control station must remain relatively close to the frontline, exposing operators to counter-battery fire or drone strikes. This problem is somewhat mitigated by deploying fibre-optic drones from armoured vehicles or underground bunkers.

Ukrainian and Russian Deployment

On the Ukrainian side, several indigenous drone developers—including companies working in partnership with the Ministry of Digital Transformation—have integrated fibre-optic systems into their arsenal. These are primarily used for observation and artillery correction in high-EW sectors such as Kostiantinyvka and Pokrovsk. Some reports suggest the use of fibre-optic drones to guide HIMARS and Excalibur munitions with great precision.

Russian forces, meanwhile, have deployed similar systems for defensive reconnaissance in occupied territories. There are unconfirmed reports of Russian use of ground-based “caterpillar drones”—small, fibre-tethered unmanned ground vehicles used to scout trenches or deliver explosive payloads—particularly in Zaporizhzhia oblast.

The Broader Geopolitical Context

Beyond Ukraine, fibre-optic drones are attracting attention from NATO militaries and Middle Eastern actors such as Iran and Israel. Israeli firms have developed sophisticated tethered drones for border security, some of which are now being retrofitted for battlefield applications. Iran has reportedly used fibre-optic tethers in coastal surveillance drones around the Strait of Hormuz, where the risk of electronic interference is high.

For NATO forces preparing for possible conflict scenarios in the Baltics or Taiwan Strait—both heavily contested electromagnetic environments—fibre-optic drones offer a reliable fallback should GPS and satellite links be denied.

A Tactical Niche Becomes Strategic

Fibre-optic drones are not a replacement for long-range UAVs, but they are becoming essential complements. Their emergence marks a return to more grounded, analogue thinking in a digital war: the understanding that not all future combat will be wireless, invisible, or autonomous. Sometimes, the key to battlefield dominance lies in a literal thread of light between operator and machine.

In Ukraine, where necessity is the mother of innovation, these wired drones are quietly changing the rules of engagement—offering security where insecurity reigns, precision where chaos dominates, and resilience where fragility once prevailed.